180 THE HISTORY OF THE ORDER OF [book IV.

particularly tlie French knights, against acceptingMalta, if to these, though a minority, and the dis-heartening account of the commissioners, wereadded information that the offer was notof attached,like the Rhodians, hut of unwilling subjects, theprobability is that the order would never have in-habited that island. That they were not merelypriests, hut also laymen, is thought to he proved bytheh possessing themselves of St. Elmo; but anotherdoubts it as a non sequitur; for if they took St. Elmoby a trick, they gave it up without a struggle. Wellfor the Hospitallers if they had refused Malta, andkept sternly to then refusal. Theh abode in it solong, was almost at variance with the very spirit andletter of theh creation.

But a troublesome epoch draws close; truly theirincome had always decreased a little, ever since theextinction of the English Language; while as totheh expenditure, it was greater than before. Hotindeed theh war expenses, particularly while theywere in Palestine, and almost exclusively cavalry;for then the price of horses was as high, or muchhigher than at present, meaning of good chargers,indispensable to knights ; but all other necessaries oflife cost more in Europe than in most parts of Asia.Certainly living costs more in Malta than Rhodes.

The storm is thickening around you, dearest com-